canirequire › ESM-only › readdirp
Is readdirp ESM-only? Can you require() it?
Recursive version of fs.readdir with small RAM & CPU footprint
Last verified Sep 9, 2026 against readdirp@5.1.1. JSON
ESM-only ESM-only since 5.0.0 — last CommonJS version is 4.1.2
readdirp dropped its CommonJS build in 5.0.0 (November 2025). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 4.1.2, published Feb 14, 2025.
On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and every newer release, require("readdirp") works anyway: Node can load synchronous ES modules through require(). Verified on Node 20, 22, 24, 26. Node.js 18 and older still fail with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM.
readdirp@5.1.1 declares engines ">= 20.19.0", so Node.js 18 is outside its supported range regardless of module format.
Does readdirp@5.1.1 actually load? Runtime test results
Installed and executed on Sep 9, 2026 with require("readdirp") from a CommonJS file and import "readdirp" from an ES module.
| Runtime | require("readdirp") | import "readdirp" |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js 18 | ✗ failsERR_REQUIRE_ESM | ✓ works |
| Node.js 20 | ✓ works | ✓ works |
| Node.js 22 | ✓ works | ✓ works |
| Node.js 24 | ✓ works | ✓ works |
| Node.js 26 | ✓ works | ✓ works |
| Bun 1.4 | ✓ works | ✓ works |
How to import readdirp
ES modules (import)
import readdirp from "readdirp";CommonJS (require)
// Node.js 20.19+ / 22.12+ / newer (package has no top-level await):
const readdirp = require("readdirp");
// Any Node.js version:
const readdirp = await import("readdirp");
// Or pin the last CommonJS release:
// npm install readdirp@4.1.2Module format by version
Derived from the type, main and exports fields of every stable release on npm (48 versions; the newest 48 shown).
| Versions | Format | First published |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0.0 – 5.1.1 | ESM-only | Nov 25, 2025 |
| 4.0.0 – 4.1.2 | Dual (CommonJS + ESM) | Aug 25, 2024 |
| 0.1.0 – 3.6.0 | CommonJS | Jul 18, 2012 |
Frequently asked
Is readdirp ESM-only?
readdirp@5.1.1 is ESM-only. readdirp dropped its CommonJS build in 5.0.0 (November 2025). The last version you can require() on every Node.js version, including 18 and older, is 4.1.2, published Feb 14, 2025.
Which version of readdirp still supports CommonJS / require()?
4.1.2 is the last version of readdirp with a CommonJS build. Install it with "npm install readdirp@4.1.2". Every version from 5.0.0 on is ESM-only.
How do I use readdirp from a CommonJS file?
Use a dynamic import: const mod = await import("readdirp"). On Node.js 20.19+, 22.12+ and newer, a plain require("readdirp") also works for ESM packages that do not use top-level await. Alternatively pin readdirp@4.1.2.
Does readdirp work in Bun?
Yes. import "readdirp" loaded successfully in Bun 1.4 on Sep 9, 2026.
Does readdirp ship TypeScript types?
Yes. readdirp bundles its own type declarations; no @types package is needed.
Links
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